Scholé Sisters: Camaraderie for Classical Homeschooling Mamas

Today's guest is Dr. Ben Merkle! Dr. Merkle is the President of New Saint Andrew's College. He has served as a minister at Christ Church, Moscow and also a part-time campus minister with Collegiate Reformed Fellowship, a campus ministry of Christ Church. Dr. Merkle is the author of The White Horse King: The Life of Alfred the Great. Mystie and Brandy decided they need to ask Dr. Merkle whether New Saint Andrew's College is hard on purpose and whether that counterintuitively provides a lot of motivation for young men (and develops initiative). You're going to love this conversation! *** The Sistership's annual Spring Training Sessions are coming up soon, which means now is the time to upgrade your membership from the free level to the Sophie level. This year's coach is none other than John Muir Laws who will be talking with us about all things nature study and nature journalling. It's going to be amazing. Spring Training can be bought separately, but more importantly (and more affordably!) it is included as part of our Sophie membership level. Just go to scholesisters.com/join and sign up! *** Go here to access today's show notes: https://www.scholesisters.com/ss172 Go here to join the FREE area of the Sistership: https://www.scholesisters.com/sistership/

Today's episode is a continuation of our ongoing conversation about vices – about the seven deadly sins. We're using the chapter of Rebecca Deyoung's book Glittering Vices to discuss ENVY. You're going to love this conversation! *** Have you bought the Scholé Sisters' new book, Scholé Every Day yet? It is getting great reviews. If you are trying to get a book club off the ground, make this book your first reading assignment because convincing moms that it's okay to read — that they should be reading and thinking — is a large part of what the book does. Scholé Every Day will help cultivate the passion for reading that you want to see in your book club members. Go here to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Scholé-Every-Day-How-Thinking/dp/B0FRHPS3R5/ *** Go here to access today's show notes: https://www.scholesisters.com/ss171 Go here to join the FREE area of the Sistership: https://www.scholesisters.com/sistership/

Today, Mystie, Abby, and Brandy discuss the essay "Saturation Love" by Jim Wilson. And yes! They remembered to discuss the tough questions that naturally arise when reading the essay. You're going to love this conversation! *** Have you bought the Scholé Sisters' new book, Scholé Every Day yet? It is getting great reviews. If you are trying to get a book club off the ground, make this book your first reading assignment because convincing moms that it's okay to read — that they should be reading and thinking — is a large part of what the book does. Scholé Every Day will help cultivate the passion for reading that you want to see in your book club members. Go here to purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Scholé-Every-Day-How-Thinking/dp/B0FRHPS3R5/ *** Go here to access today's show notes: https://www.scholesisters.com/ss170 Go here to join the FREE area of the Sistership: https://www.scholesisters.com/sistership/

Our guests today are our dear friends Sarah Mackenzie and Pam Barnhill! Sarah is the author of Teaching from Rest and The Read-Aloud Family. She's the host of the Read-Aloud Revival podcast, which has been downloaded 16 million times in more than 167 countries. She makes her home in the Northwest with her family, where she reads, homeschools, and runs Waxwing Books, a boutique publishing house dedicated to making timeless read-alouds. Pam is an award-winning educator and homeschooling mom who has helped thousands of families simplify their homeschool without sacrificing relationships. She is the author of Better Together: Strengthen Your Family, Simplify Your Homeschool, and Savor the Subjects that Matter Most and Plan Your Year: Homeschool Planning for Purpose and Peace. You may remember her from her many years cohosting this very podcast! You may have surmised from today's lineup that this is the 10th anniversary episode you've been waiting for! Pam and Sarah are here to reminisce with us and share with you the scoop on how Scholé Sisters came into being in the first place. You're going to love this conversation! *** We encourage you to go and join the free area of our Sistership community where you can discuss ideas with your friends just like we were doing over a decade ago. Just go to scholesisters.com/join and sign up! *** Go here to access today's show notes: https://www.scholesisters.com/ss169 Go here to join the FREE area of the Sistership: https://www.scholesisters.com/sistership/

Welcome back! Today is the beginning of our spring season and we're kicking off with a discussion on being behind – how do we know if our child is behind? Some say being behind isn't even a thing! And is it important to have standards? Can't my child just develop at his own pace? You're going to love this conversation! *** It's our birthday and we're giving you presents! Come join us in the Scholé Sistership ASAP because we have a giveaway every day of the week leading up to our 10th anniversary episode. You could win sticker packs, Scholé Sisters T-shirts — even a copy of the most-mentioned book from all of our episodes so far. The Scholé Sisters podcast began in February of 2016 and we think 10 years is a pretty big accomplishment. Come and celebrate with us! Just go to https://www.scholesisters.com/join and sign up. *** Go here to access today's show notes: https://www.scholesisters.com/ss168 Go here to join the FREE area of the Sistership: https://www.scholesisters.com/sistership/

Today's episode is what you've been waiting for. That's right! It's our annual Christmas episode. This time, we used a different approach, talking through aspects of Christmas and celebration using Aristotle's Four Causes. You're going to love this conversation! *** Our new book — Scholé Every Day — is now out and available! If you want to help us promote it, head on over to Amazon and buy it ASAP — early sales are important on Amazon! Also, leaving a positive review is always appreciated. If you want to discuss the book, head over to the Sistership – just go to scholesisters.com/join and start a conversation thread. *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

Our guest today is Jami Marstall. Jami has been homeschooling for almost 20 years with Charlotte Mason's rich, living methods. She and her husband John have four children, three of whom have graduated. Jami is not particularly looking forward to homeschool retirement when her youngest graduates. She firmly believes that mothers are born persons and have minds which hunger for ideas too! Her personal reading stack usually includes works of educational philosophy, history, biography, literary classics, and a detective novel. In this episode, Abby, Jami, and Brandy discuss AI – yes, Artificial Intelligence. We talk about cheating in co-ops and what is lost as a person and as a community when you substitute a machine's work for your own work. You're going to love this conversation! *** The release date for new upcoming book Scholé Every Day is THIS TUESDAY, November 25th!! That's right! It's just in time for Black Friday and Christmas gifts! Get on the waiting list and receive the first chapter free right now! Just go to scholesisters.com/book . *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

This is the fall episode recorded each year at the retreat. As usual, the Scholé Sisters apologize for the decline in sound quality. They feel like it is worth it that they get to record all togheter in the same room! Today they're talking about all the nitty gritty details of book club. You're going to love this conversation! *** The Scholé Sisters fall mentorship — Feminism Detox — kicked off on Monday October 27th. It's not too late to join! Participants are reading three books together and discussing them in a variety of ways — there are discussion threads where you write out your thoughts, Faculty of Friends gatherings where Mystie, Abby, and Brandy discuss themes and others participate in the chat, and zoom-style meetups where everyone gets a chance to chime in. The Scholé Sisters mentorships are always a rich experience. Join in by becoming a Sophie level member of the Sistership! Just go to scholesisters.com/join *** The expected release date for our upcoming book Scholé Every Day is November 25th. That's right! It's just in time for Black Friday and Christmas gifts! Get on the waiting list and receive the first chapter free right now! Just go to scholesisters.com/book! *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

Today's episode is a continuation of our ongoing discussion of virtues and vices. Brandy, Mystie, and Abby contend that if classical education is supposed to form virtue, courage and fortitude have to be covered. What does THAT look like? Listen up because they talk all about it! You're going to love this conversation! *** Are you ready for the Scholé Sisters fall mentorship? The new mentorship — Feminism Detox — kicks off on Monday October 27th. We're reading three books together and discussing them in a variety of ways — there are discussion threads where you write out your thoughts, Faculty of Friends gatherings where Mystie, Abby, and Brandy discuss themes and you participate in the chat, and zoom-style meetups where all participants get a chance to chime in. Our mentorships are always a rich experience. Join in by becoming a Sophie level member of the Sistership! Just go to scholesisters.com/join *** The expected release date for our upcoming book Scholé Every Day is November 25th. That's right! It's just in time for Black Friday and Christmas gifts! Get on the waiting list and receive the first chapter free right now! Just go to scholesisters.com/book! *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

Charlotte Mason says our young adult daughters ought to develop their opinions rather than being tossed around by circumstance or culture. Ought a well-raised young lady have an opinion? Brandy, Abby, and Mystie are here to discuss it! You're going to love this conversation! *** Don't forget to register for our annual retreat! There are many possibilities: watch live in the comfort of your home and get access to our zoom room discussion groups for fruitful interaction, or host or attend an in-person local retreat and enjoy discussion in real life with women from your local community. Either way, you'll find this year's topic inspiring! Just go to scholesisters.com/curriculum to register. *** The expected release date for our upcoming book Scholé Every Day is November 25th. That's right! It's just in time for Black Friday and Christmas gifts! Get on the waiting list and receive the first chapter free right now! Just go to scholesisters.com/book! *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

Is classical preschool even a thing?? In today's episode, Abby, Mystie and Brandy talk about gymnastic and explain how you can start training the body in the preschool years. You're going to love this conversation! *** Don't forget to register for our annual retreat! There are many possibilities: watch live in the comfort of your home and get access to our zoom room discussion groups for fruitful interaction, or host or attend an in-person local retreat and enjoy discussion in real life with women from your local community. Either way, you'll find this year's topic inspiring! Just go to scholesisters.com/curriculum to register. *** The expected release date for Scholé Every Day is November 25th. That's right! It's just in time for Black Friday and Christmas gifts! Get on the waiting list and receive the first chapter free right now! Just go to scholesisters.com/book! *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

In today's episode, Abby, Mystie, and Brandy are discussing feminism and the view of women found in Herman Bavinck's book The Christian Family. You're going to love this conversation! *** Don't forget to register for our annual online local retreat! There are many possibilities: watch live in the comfort of your home and get access to our zoom room discussion groups for fruitful interaction, or host an in-person local group and enjoy discussion in real life with women from your local community. Either way, you'll find this year's topic inspiring! Just go to scholesisters.com/curriculum to register. *** The expected release date for Scholé Every Day is November 25th. That's right! It's just in time for Black Friday and Christmas gifts! Get on the waiting list and receive the first chapter free right now! Just go to scholesisters.com/book! *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

In today's episode, Abby, Mystie, and Brandy are announcing a secret project they've been working on for over a year. It's pretty exciting!! *** Don't forget to register for our annual online local retreat! There are many possibilities: watch live in the comfort of your home and get access to our zoom room discussion groups for fruitful interaction, or host an in-person local group and enjoy discussion in real life with women from your local community. Either way, you'll find this year's topic inspiring! Just go to scholesisters.com/curriculum to register. *** The expected release date for Scholé Every Day is November 25th. That's right! It's just in time for Black Friday and Christmas gifts! Get on the waiting list and receive the first chapter free right now! Just go to scholesisters.com/book! *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

In today's episode, Abby, Mystie, and Brandy are geeking out about curriculum, which is the topic of this year's annual retreat. Did you know? Curriculum is something you buy, and also something you can't buy. You're going to love this conversation! *** Today is the day! We are opening early bird registration for our annual online local retreat. This retreat is one of our favorite things in the whole world. There are many possibilities: watch live in the comfort of your home and get access to zoom room discussion groups for fruitful interaction, or host an in-person local group and enjoy discussion in real life with women from your local community. Either way, you'll find this year's topic inspiring! Just go to scholesisters.com/curriculum to register. *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

In today's episode, Mystie, Abby, and Brandy explain exactly why they chose this topic for the 2025 Spring Training Sessions and why they think it's important for us to prepare our kids for the world we're launching them into. You're going to love this conversation! *** The annual Scholé Sisters Spring Training just happened, and replays are now available! Dr. Glenn Sunshine did a great job teaching us about the disenchantment and renchantment of the world around us. Coming up on Tuesday, June 4th at noon Pacific, we are having a live meetup to discuss what we learned from Spring Training. Our annual Spring Training is always included in the Sophie level Sistership membership. Just go to scholesisters.com/join and sign up. *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

In today's episode, Brandy, Mystie, and Abby revisit the topic of rewards and prize systems – specifically what to do when one is implemented at church. This was a chance to try and apply our principles to a real life situation where we don't want to be perfectionists and we DO want to be peacemakers. You're going to love this conversation! *** If you've considered upgrading your Sistership membership from FREE to Sophie level, now is the time! Our annual spring training is coming up in just a couple weeks and you do NOT want to miss it! Dr. Glenn Sunshine will talk with us about the Resurrection of the Enchanted World. In session 1, Dr. Sunshine will explain how the world was disenchanted – how we lost a supernatural worldview. In session 2, Dr. Sunshine will describe how the world is being reenchanted (whether we like how that's happening or not) and what the Bible has to say about it all. Our annual Spring Training is always included in the Sophie level Sistership membership. Just go to scholesisters.com/join and sign up. *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

Our guest today is JoAnn Hallum! JoAnn is a first-generation homeschooler from the Central Valley of California who has been teaching her four boys for about 10 years. She loves to read and to tell people at parties they should read Charles Dickens. With a fine art degree in Printmaking, she discovered she loved writing when she became a stay-at-home mom. She now writes on Substack and Instagram, and sometimes Commonplace Quarterly. Her extracurricular activities include serving on the board for her local Youth Orchestra, hosting a local Nature Club, and hunting for used books. You can find her as funnyostrich on Instagram or under her name, JoAnnHallum, on Substack. In today's conversation, Abby, JoAnn, and Brandy talk about the inconveniences of mothering teenagers and what a wonderful blessing it is. You're going to love this conversation! *** If you've considered upgrading your Sistership membership from FREE to Sophie level, now is the time! Our annual spring training is coming up in just a few weeks and you do NOT want to miss this! We are having Dr. Glenn Sunshine on to talk with us about the Resurrection of the Enchanted World. In session 1, Dr. Sunshine will talk about how the world was disenchanted –how we lost a supernatural worldview. In session 2, Dr. Sunshine will talk about how the world is being reenchanted (whether we like how that's happening or not) and what the Bible has to say about it all. Our annual Spring Training is always included in the Sophie level Sistership membership. Just go to scholesisters.com/join and sign up. *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.

Today's episode is a discussion about conversation. Or maybe it's a conversation about discussion?? No matter, the point is that Isaac Watts has some helpful advice for us if we want to have fruitful interactions with others. You're going to love this conversation! *** If you've considered upgrading your Sistership membership from FREE to Sophie level, now is the time to do that! Next week, we're hosting a live workshop with Elsie Iudicello on a white board tool called Closing Board that is as scrappy as homeschool can get – it's the tool you never knew you needed. To attend the workshop, and so much more, all you have to do is make sure you are a Sophie level member of the Sistership! Just go to scholesisters.com/join and sign up. *** Click here to access today's show notes. Click here to join the FREE area of the Sistership.